So this guy is born in the middle of nowhere, to a couple of nobodies, who have nothing.
He builds tables and chairs for 30 years. Nice guy right?
Not really.

For the next 3 years, He walks around claiming to be God, forgiving sins, judging people, calling out the most religious people ever as horrible, wretched and evil, and sets impossible standards to live up to. All the while telling His followers He is going to die and rise again. History also claims that He rebukes frightening storms like little children, feeds thousands on one bag lunch, performs exorcisms, and raises people from the dead. Oh and He was pretty much the smartest guy you ever met. Witty doesn’t even begin to do justice to how masterfully Jesus confounded the smartest people around.

And then he wrote Romans 9-11, three of the hardest chapters in the Bible. We often wrestle with them, like Jacob wrestled with God. And when we realize we are wrestling with God as Jacob did, as opposed to being “loved less” by God as Esau was, then our only response should be, “Thank you God that I get to walk with a limp for the rest of my life!”

So with that in mind… what is the main idea Paul is arguing for in Romans 9-11?

We were having dinner years ago, and laughing and having a good time as a family. My youngest brother got “snarky” about something towards my dad, which I’m sure my dad deserved in part. It was all good family dinner time fun. As a retort to my brother’s witty comment, my dad responded with the 5 funniest words I have ever heard, because they seemed so true:

“Shut up… I made you!”

Which is so funny, because it is so true, and yet so false…

Fast forward 10 years to me on Skype with a student, proctoring a quiz for interim marks, and I see this statement on his T-shirt:

Life isn’t about finding yourself Life is about creating yourself

How nice that sounds. Go make your own destiny. Be whoever you want to be. You can do it! Follow your dreams!

I give thanks to God for my Pastor, BK, and an amazing picture he painted on Resurrection Sunday:

Where is the Lamb?

Genesis 2 – a lamb was slain to cover the shame of original sin… (Clothed in righteousness?)
Genesis 4:4 – Abel brought the firstborn lamb – His gift was acceptable to the Lord
Genesis 22 – Abraham and Isaac – God provided a lamb
Exodus 12:1-14 – The plague of the death of the firstborn – A lamb’s blood allows God to passover.
Isaiah 53:7 – Messiah: A lamb led to slaughter
John 1:29 – Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
Rev 5 – Worthy is the lamb is who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might… They worshipped Him!!

Questions…

Oh how many questions there are to ask! How many great answers to seek! May it never stop… don’t stop seeking the Lamb of God:

Where is Christ?

He is on every page…

The first and the last… alpha and omega… beginning and end… author and finisher…

More Questions…

Was Jesus called the lamb because lambs were always sacrificed for sin before him?

Or…

Were lambs chosen to be the acceptable and pleasing sacrifice because Jesus is the Lamb of God?